This invention relates to an apparatus for cooling molds used in white metal casting and more particular for white metal casting which employs a centrifuge to assist in the delivery of molten metal to the desired mold cavity. White metals and particularly tin base bearing metals and their various alloys are commonly used in the production of costume jewelry. These inexpensive metals are relatively soft and malleable which makes the metals easy to handle, shape and form into jewelry. Further, tin and its alloys have low melting points, are highly fluid when molten and do not easily corrode. One method of casting jewelry made of these alloys is to introduce molten metal into a rapidly spinning mold. This method, known as centrifuge casting, takes advantage of the centrifugal force exerted by a turning wheel to deliver molten metal to the mold cavity. Molten metal is introduced at the center of a rapidly spinning mold and the centrifugal force causes the metal to move radially to the periphery of the mold. The inertial forces of rotation distribute the molten metal into mold cavities and the centrifugal action increases the pressure in the mold cavities insuring that the molten metal completely fills the cavities. It is an effective way to ensure that the intricate cavities of a design are filled and no interstitial voids remain after pouring molten metal into a mold. A problem encountered with this type of casting however is the tendency of the molds, which are typically constructed of a vulcanized rubber, to become too hot when the same mold is used to make repeated castings. When the rubber mold material becomes too hot it causes the castings to stick to the mold surface. In addition the rubber mold material may degrade. Standard casting technique allows for the molds to air cool between casts so that an acceptable equilibrium temperature can be maintained. Cooling the interior surfaces of the rubber mold is difficult because rubber has a low thermal conductivity and as such is an excellent insulator. Because of problems with heat, a significant period of time must be allowed for the molds to cool before a new cast may be made. During this time other molds may be used by the casting operator but it is sometimes desirable to make multiple use of one mold that is more popular than the others. This problem could be solved by purchasing more molds of the more popular casting, but the cost of the molds makes this solution uneconomical, particularly since the popularity of the castings can vary from time to time.
Accordingly, it is the object of the invention to provide a method of reducing the time it takes for a mold to cool and, as a result, optimize the time available for a mold to be used.